French Aioli Recipes

REAL AIOLI

Steps:

• Place garlic slices in a mortar with kosher salt. Mash with the pestle into a fine paste, 4 or 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of olive oil; stir and mash until oil is incorporated. Add another teaspoon and mix in thoroughly. Continue incorporating olive oil, teaspoon by teaspoon, mashing and stirring until aioli thickens up. If the aioli gets thicker than you like, add a few drops of water.

GRAND AIOLI

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium pot; add cold water to cover by 1". Season with salt, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and chill until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Meanwhile, bring another medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice water; reserve hot water in pot. Chill beans until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Return water in green bean pot to a boil, carefully add eggs, and cook 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; reserve hot water in pot. Chill eggs until cold, about 5 minutes. Peel; set aside, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Return water to a boil, add shrimp, and cook just until pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to ice water and chill until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard; season with salt, then process to combine. With the motor running, slowly pour in grapeseed oil a few drops at a time. After about 1/4 cup has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to add grapeseed oil with the motor running, then add olive oil and process until combined. If sauce is too thick, add water 1 Tbsp. at a time. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if needed.
• Transfer aioli to a serving bowl. Arrange potatoes, green beans, shrimp, halved eggs, endive, romaine, radishes, cucumbers, and tomatoes on a platter and serve alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Potatoes, green beans, and eggs can be cooked 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.

AIOLI

Steps:

• Whether or not you are using a mortar and pestle for the mayonnaise, begin by mashing the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle. Mash to a smooth paste.
• Using the mortar and pestle (for egg yolks only; this is the traditional method, and will result in a very silky, creamy aioli if you do it correctly): Add the egg yolks to the mortar and beat with the pestle until smooth. Measure the grapeseed oil into a measuring cup with a spout, and drip by drip, work the oil into the egg yolks, gently but constantly stirring in one direction with the pestle. As the mayonnaise begins to emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a steady stream, but the stream must be a thin one, and you must stir constantly but not too fast. Once you have a good emulsion, you can scrape the mixture into a bowl and continue with a whisk if it's easier for you. It helps to rest the bowl on a damp towel shaped into a ring. Use up the grapeseed oil first, since it makes a better emulsion than olive oil, then continue with the olive oil. I find that once the egg yolks and oil are emulsified, it's easiest to drizzle in a tablespoonful of oil while beating, stop drizzling and really beat hard to work it in, then continue with another tablespoonful. When all of the oil has been added and the mayonnaise is thick, taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Using a food processor: Place the egg yolks or egg and egg white in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn it on, and begin drizzling in the grapeseed oil, then the olive oil, in a thin stream. Some food processors have little holes in the plungers meant for controlling the flow of oil into the mayonnaise. When all of the oil has been added, stop the processor and scrape in the garlic paste. Process for a few seconds, until the paste is well blended into the mixture. Taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. The mayonnaise will be thinner than the mortar and pestle version.

AIOLI

Steps:

• Combine garlic, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor and let sit a minute or two. Add eggs and blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. You can use a mortar and pestle if you prefer.
• Taste for seasoning and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.

FRENCH AIOLI

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, beat eggs well with a wire whisk. Stir in garlic. Gradually add oil in a thin stream, beating constantly until light and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate.

HERB AIOLI

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, parsley, tarragon, dill, vinegar, hot sauce and garlic. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

AIOLI

Steps:

• Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a chef's knife and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Finely chop the garlic, using the side of the knife to periodically mash it against the cutting board, until it becomes a smooth paste. (You can also do this in a mortar and pestle.)
• To make the aioli in a mini food processor, put the garlic paste in a mini food processor, add the lemon juice and egg yolks and pulse to combine. With the machine running, add the neutral oil a few drops at a time, making sure it incorporates into the yolks and the mixture emulsifies. Once all of the neutral oil is added, scrape down the sides of the work bowl and add the olive oil in the same manner. (If the machine seems like it is working too hard or straining while adding the oil, add the tablespoon of water at this point to loosen the mixture a bit; otherwise, add the tablespoon of water once all of the oil has been added.) Mix in the cayenne. The aioli should be thick, shiny and smooth, with a spreadable consistency similar to jarred mayonnaise. If you want a slightly thinner sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons additional water slowly, with the machine running, until you reach the desired consistency. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
• To make the aioli by hand, dampen a kitchen towel and roll up. Form the towel roll into a circle and anchor a bowl in the center. Whisk together the garlic paste, lemon juice and egg yolks in the bowl. Whisk the oils into the mixture as directed above, using one hand to add the oil drop by drop and the other to whisk constantly. Add the oil very slowly at first. Once the mixture has formed a thick emulsification, you can stream the oil in a little faster. If it gets too thick, add the water to loosen it up and continue. Mix in the cayenne.

LE GRAND AIOLI

Steps:

• Mince garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add egg yolks, a pinch of salt, and mustard; process to combine. With machine running, slowly pour in about half the canola oil through the feed tube, a few drops at a time. Stop to make sure the sauce is thickening, and scrape sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Add 4 teaspoons lemon juice. Resume processing; slowly pour in remaining canola oil and the olive oil. Season with salt and remaining lemon juice, and add the water; process 10 seconds more. If serving immediately, transfer to serving bowls.

CLASSIC AïOLI - FRENCH GARLIC MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• In a mortar, crush the garlic into a fine paste with the salt.
• Add the egg yolks and salt lightly again if needed.
• Mix in the olive oil very slowly until you obtain a smooth paste and the mixture is glossy.
• Add the lemon juice to taste and continue to mix to achieve a smooth emulsified sauce.